


Implausible Cover Story

by EdosianOrchids901



Series: Plain Simple Prompts [29]
Category: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Genre: Fluff, Huddling For Warmth, M/M, POV First Person, POV Julian Bashir, Secret Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-04
Updated: 2018-10-04
Packaged: 2019-07-25 02:14:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 525
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16187969
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EdosianOrchids901/pseuds/EdosianOrchids901
Summary: Dialogue prompt: “People have been talking, you know. None of it’s good.”





	Implausible Cover Story

**Author's Note:**

> Part of a series of ficlets based on dialogue prompts from Tumblr. Written 6/18.

I was happy to find Garak already in our cramped quarters when I arrived after my shift. “Hallo, Elim,” I murmured, lifting up his blanket and slipping into the bunk with him. 

“Don’t uncover me!”

“I’m not, I’m just getting in.” I settled in beside him, making sure I tucked the blanket firmly back in place. “Are we cranky tonight?”

“Well, why don’t we go somewhere that’s well below temperatures that Humans find tolerable?” he grumbled, rolling over to face me. “Then we can see if you’re ‘cranky’.”

“You’d be even more miserable if we did that.” I kissed his cheek, then yelped as he slipped his hands under my shirt. “Garak!”

“Simply making use of your more than adequate warmth.” He snuggled closer to me, giving a contented hum. “You’ve much improved my evening, Julian.”

“I suppose that needing to stay warm does make a decent story for why we needed to bunk together,” I teased, combing my fingers through his hair. “Although, I’m not sure it’s actually fooling anyone at this point.”

“Nonsense. It’s a perfectly plausible cover story.”

“People have been talking, you know. None of it’s good.” I paused, thinking. “Well, not good in the sense that no one’s believing we’re platonic bunkmates. That doesn’t matter to me personally, but I know you didn’t really want our relationship to be public.”

Elim pulled back enough that he could see me, displeased. “It’s for your own safety, my dear. As you’re well aware, I have numerous enemies that would happily use you as a way to get to me.”

“Garak…” I turned onto my back and dropped my head to the pillow, exasperated with his paranoia. “We’re in the middle of a war, on a ship, constantly fighting skirmishes. I think we have bigger things to worry about. And it’s not like we’re surrounded by Cardassians at this point.”

“And did I say that all my enemies were Cardassians?” He sounded even more aggravated now. “That’s hardly the case. Why, not even all your fellow officers are favorably disposed towards me.”

“Oh, for heaven’s sake.” I rolled to face him again, fixing him with a glare. “Starfleet officers are not going to harm me in an attempt to get to you. You’re being paranoid again.”

“Someone needs to be!” He widened his eyes dramatically. “One would think that with your enhanced intellect and observation skills, you’d be far more aware of the perils of life.”

“Garak, I’m not gonna walk around expecting all my crewmembers to murder me.”

He pursed his lips. “Then I suppose you won’t be doing anything to dissuade these rumors about the nature of our relationship.”

“I think that at this point, we’d be running into a ‘doth protest too much’ situation,” I replied, leaning in to kiss him. He responded eagerly, hand curling around the back of my neck and drawing me closer. 

When we broke apart for breath, he skimmed a finger down my throat, catching the first clasp of my shirt and deftly undoing it. “Well, as long as everyone already suspects, we may as well indulge in some… activities in order to stay warm.”


End file.
